The E-Sylum: Volume 9, Number 3, January 15, 2006, Article 16
FINDERS KEEPERS: THE CASH STASH TRIAL OPENS
The Newburyport Daily News is the source of another
numismatic story, also forwarded to us by Dick Hanscom.
The New England roofers who gained national publicity
over their concocted story of finding a paper money
hoard buried in a back yard are now on trial. The hoard
was actually found on a barn they were repairing, and
now they're in court on theft charges.
"Finders keepers. That's the latest defense of four men
whose story of buried backyard treasure brought them
national fame, then felony charges.
Police say the men, Barry Billcliff, 27, of Manchester,
N.H.; Kevin Kozak, 28, of Methuen; Matthew Ingham, 24,
of Newton, N.H.; and Timothy A. Crebase, 25, of Methuen,
concocted the buried-treasure story to cover the theft
of more than $1 million worth of antique currency from
a Newbury barn last spring.
But in a motion filed this week at Lawrence District
Court, lawyers for the foursome are asking the state to
dismiss all charges because police have no evidence the
money was stolen.
According to the argument, the bills are abandoned
property because nobody knew they were stashed in the
barn rafters."
To read the complete article, see: Full Story
112
To read an earlier E-Sylum article on the
paper money hoard, see: esylum_v08n18a09.html